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Walker guides Bobcats over Kings

Jan 5, 2014 - 6:59 AM Sacramento, CA (SportsNetwork.com) - Kemba Walker poured in 30 points to guide the Charlotte Bobcats to a 113-103 win over the Sacramento Kings.

Al Jefferson contributed 27 points and nine rebounds. Gerald Henderson added 16 points for the Bobcats, who snapped a five-game skid. Charlotte swept the season series and beat the Kings for the eighth time in the last 11 meetings.

"It was a big win, especially for our confidence," Walker said. "

DeMarcus Cousins had 26 points and 11 boards to pace the Kings, who have dropped seven of their last 10 contests.

The Bobcats, who were blown out by a combined 57 points in road defeats to Portland and the Clippers the last two contests, went ahead for good by scoring 17 consecutive points in the second quarter.

Jason Thompson's jumper provided the Kings with a 50-48 edge with 3:48 left in the half, but the Bobcats held the hosts without a point over the next three- plus minutes. Chris Douglas-Roberts put down an alley-oop slam off a pass from Walker and Jefferson capped the burst with a pair of free throws with 27.7 seconds remaining.

Rudy Gay's jumper finally ended the run, but the 65-52 deficit was too much to overcome for the Kings.

Sacramento did get within 78-77 with 2:19 left in the third and the Kings went into the fourth down 89-82 following a 3-pointer from Isaiah Thomas.

The Kings were again within two early in the fourth, but they could never get over the hump. The pivotal moment came with 4:17 left when Jefferson was credited with a basket off a goaltending call on Cousins. That widened the gap to six points, and then Jefferson nailed a running hook shot for a 107-99 margin with 3:33 left.

"We can't play to the level of the competition," Thompson said. "No disrespect to them, but the games we play against San Antonio, Houston or Miami our defense is up, making deflections and things like that. When we play the lower-echelon teams, we have to have that same type of intensity."

Game Notes

The Kings have scored 100 or more points in 15 of the last 16 games (including the last nine contests) ... Thomas had 21 points and eight assists ... Thompson scored 15 with 14 rebounds and Gay ended with 17 points and 10 boards.